2026/01/01 by Omar Al Rawajfah, Sulaiman Al Sabei, Girija Madhavan Prabhakaran +7 · 1 voice
Computer Science · Medicine · #COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing #Infection Control in Healthcare #Surgical site infection prevention
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/ash.2026.10336
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/04/18 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Abstract Objective: This study aimed to assess staff nurses’ perceptions of the infection control team’s (ICT) role and the infection control environment across healthcare settings in the Sultanate of Oman. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. Participants: Data were collected from 997 staff nurses working in 18 public and private tertiary hospitals across 10 governorates in Oman. Methods: Participants completed self-reported questionnaires measuring the perceived role of the ICT (PRICT) and the perceived infection control environment (PICE). Results: The mean PRICT score was 64.7 (SD = 9.4), indicating basic perceived ICT competence, while the mean PICE score was 56.1 (SD = 12.1), reflecting an acceptable infection-control environment. Hospital affiliation, accreditation status, and availability of an infection control manual significantly predicted PRICT. PRICT was moderately correlated with PICE ( r = 0.50, p <.001). Nurses in private and accredited hospitals reported higher PRICT and PICE scores. Conclusion: The findings underscore the significance of consistent infection control team practices, effective communication, hospital accreditation, and accessible infection control manuals. Strengthening ICT roles through structured interdisciplinary collaboration and standardized programs may enhance infection control practices and patient safety in Omani hospitals and support quality improvement initiatives nationwide across healthcare sectors and inform infection control policy development.